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Winemaker Notes

This Chianti Classico is brilliant ruby red with generous aromas of ripe black cherry, violets and vanilla followed by elegant layers of dark fruit, tobacco and sweet spice on the palate. Dry, full-bodied and firmly structured, this wine makes a great pairing with roast beef, tripe or granular aged cheeses.

Critical Acclaim

Castellare

The Castellare estate is one of the best examples of tradition in the area. The winery’s owner, Paolo Panerai, has closely studied the world’s best wineries and applied this understanding and experience to viticulture in Italy. The Castellare property, located in Tuscany’s Castellina in Chianti, has become a virtual refuge for wildlife, including many of the birds pictured on their labels. With each vintage, the Castellare label shows a different bird, symbolizing the estate’s commitment to environmentally sound cultivation. The birds selected for the labels are among the rarest creatures in Chianti, and represent birds threatened by extinction, mostly due to synthetic chemical products and hunting, both of which are forbidden on this property. In the town of Castellina, one of Chianti’s best locales, Castellare’s vineyards are at 1200 feet elevation – only a few Chianti Classico vineyards are higher. The vineyards of this 46-acre property are found in a natural amphitheater in the heart of the Classico region. At Castellare, the yield-per-acre is very low, far lower than the maximum level allowed by Chianti Classico DOCG rules, which enhances the concentration of aromas and flavors.

Chianti Classico

One of the first wine regions anywhere to be officially recognized and delimited, Chianti Classico is today what was originally defined simply as Chianti. Already identified by the early 18th century as a superior zone, the official name of Chianti was proclaimed upon the area surrounding the townships of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole, just north of Siena, by Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany in an official decree in 1716.

However, by the 1930s the Italian government had appended this historic zone with additonal land in order to capitalize on the Chianti name. It wasn’t until 1996 that Chianti Classico became autonomous once again when the government granted a separate DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) to its borders. Ever since, Chianti Classico considers itself no longer a subzone of Chianti.

Many Classicos are today made of 100% Sangiovese but can include up to 20% of other approved varieties grown within the Classico borders. The best Classicos will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and be full-bodied with plenty of ripe fruit (plums, black cherry, blackberry). Also common among the best Classicos are expressive notes of cedar, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic or tobacco.

Sangiovese

The perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness, Sangiovese is among Italy's elite red grape varieties and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino

Elsewhere throughout Italy, Sangiovese plays an important role in many easy-drinking, value-driven red blends and on the French island of Corsica, under the name Nielluccio, it produces excellent bright and refreshing red and rosé wines with a personality of their own. Sangiovese has also enjoyed success growing in California and Washington.

In the Glass

Sangiovese is a medium-bodied red with qualities of tart cherry, plum, sun dried tomato, fresh tobacco and herbs. High-quality, well-aged examples can take on tertiary notes of smoke, leather, game, potpourri and dried fruit. Corsican Nielluccio is distinguished by a subtle perfume of dried flowers.

Perfect Pairings

Sangiovese is the ultimate pizza and pasta red—its high acidity, moderate alcohol, and fine-grained tannins create a perfect symbiosis with tomato-based dishes, braised vegetables, roasted and cured meat, hard cheese and anything off the barbecue.

Sommelier Secret

Although it is the star variety of Tuscany, cult-classic “Super-Tuscan” wines may actually contain no Sangiovese at all! Since the 1970s, local winemakers have been producing big, bold wines as a blend of one or more of several international varieties—usually Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot or Syrah—with or without Sangiovese.